I'm actually happier about the list of FPS boost games than the new and final list of backwards compatibility titles. Obviously I'm glad that some people are happy about them, but there wasn't much on the list that screams "PLAY ME!". Too many games left in my backlog and then future releases to play old games I never would have played otherwise besides maybe the Max Payne games and the F.E.A.R. games.
Kind of a shame this will be it forever, as I still have a disc or two that I can never play again that I would have liked to see added.
My first Xbox console was the original Xbox after Halo 2 came out. Between that and the original Gears of War, I had many hours of unforgettable gaming experiences between all of the online time and some Halo 2 LAN parties.
It's too early to comment much on this generation or to be able to say it would be my favorite, so I'd probably have to go with the Xbox 360 one. Even though it ended up being the beginning of the end of them having a deep group of really good exclusives and such, there were plenty of good carry overs from the previous generation and then obviously Gears of War. That was also the generation I switched back to PlayStation with the PS3 after getting tired of/burnt out on online gaming, but still, it was a special generation regardless.
I'd still probably consider myself a PlayStation guy first, but I do own a Series X as well and Xbox is in a position they haven't been in since transitioning from the Xbox to the 360. The future is very bright for the first time in a while, and things could be very interesting at this time in a few years. Who knows, maybe then I'll be saying I'm an Xbox guy again. I truly do hope they deliver on the promises and potential.
Hard to vote when you can't really vote for this generation yet. Not criticizing the idea since we're about to have the anniversary show, but this generation is too new. Between it just passing a year old and the virus delaying/messing with things, nobody can vote for this generation yet with a straight face.
With that said, if I had to vote, it would be for the 360. RROD or not, it was still by far the best overall generation for Xbox. Until near the end of it when it was clear they didn't care about having enough good exclusives after relying too much on Gears, Halo, and Forza. Even with that, I would still put it ahead of the original Xbox as the majority of it was still great.
That'd be awesome... as long as they continue to support it unlike last time since it's basically like it's a live game show with scheduled times to play it. Yes, you could play it "off the air", but it's the live scheduled events that you could try to get into that made it special for the short time it lasted.
Horizon Forbidden West for me. It was mine for this year before the delay. Starfield would likely be second, although I have my doubts it will actually meet it's release date, at least in playable form. I'll be pleasantly surprised if it comes out and in good shape.
Halo Wars 2 apparently. I had been playing that, but stopped about a week ago because of was stuck on the Hold the Line mission. Played Kena on my PS5 earlier, but had a bit of extra time and didn't want to load that back up for only a half an hour, so I gave the mission another chance and finally beat it.
@InterceptorAlpha I don't think that will be an issue if the game is successful like it should be. Avengers was kind of a mess from the start, so that's why they got thrown under the bus even though most of the problems weren't their fault.
@d0x3601 I never thought to look for that. I have no idea where it comes into the houses, but obviously it has to be somewhere. Thanks for the advice there.
If I want to be technical, it isn't completely different. I had also owned every PlayStation back to the original, so I technically switched from PlayStation to Xbox at first once I bought the original Xbox after Halo 2 came out. I didn't game as often as I started to after experiencing Halo 2 though. Obviously I didn't switch back to PlayStation until Metal Gear Solid 4 game out and was bundled with the PS3. I got one probably a few months after that came out. Also obvious is that my experience with their 1st party titles on the PS3 was significantly more positive for me to basically completely switch over after buying a PS3, with Uncharted possibly being my favorite series of all time (at least close to it) and MGS4 being one of my best gaming experiences I've ever had.
Switching basically killed my desire to play multiplayer games online anymore, which I suppose was expected given that while you could play the same multi-platform games online on PSN, the whole reason for being on the platform is for the single player games.
I'm glad to own both new gen consoles even though I probably could have waited for a Series X until sometime next year since the only true Series X game I've played on it so far is The Medium. They are cross gen, but still, I don't plan on playing either Forza Horizon 5 or Halo Infinite until sometime next year. It's not a huge deal though since I would have gotten one eventually to play all of the RPGs and such that are coming.
Sony is obviously far from perfect as a company, acting more like the beginning of the PS3 generation, but I'm more concerned about the hardware and the games. That's where PlayStation has delivered, minus a bit of power that the Series X has over the PS5. I really like the haptic feedback, but I also turn off the adaptive triggers sometimes. It depends on the game, as a handful actually use them well (A Plague Tale: Innocence), while some use it sparingly enough that I don't worry about it (Miles Morales, Kena, etc.). I could care less about it with FPS games though, as it just makes it harder to play and not more realistic to me.
For me, it boils down to that I don't game online at all anymore, so I go with the platform that gives me the best single player experiences overall imo. Regardless, if Xbox delivers on the potential of all these acquisitions, then things could be very different even for me in a couple of years.
@d0x3601 No, installation/file sizes isn't the main reason why I'd go back to the PS5 as my main console. PlayStation has been my main platform for over a decade when I got the PS3 late in that console generation, switching from an Xbox One, and never really looked back. I always end up getting an Xbox too.
I have fond memories of my time with the Xbox and Xbox 360 as well. There's also things they do better than Sony, like obviously Game Pass and backwards compatibility. I'm happy to have a Series X as well as I think it's a really good system. Other than the SSD, I think it's actually a better system. At least build wise since it's a simple, but very effective way to combat the heat and keeping noise to a minimum. I also play Assassin's Creed games on Xbox since my brother plays them too and I like to compare achievements with him.
It comes down to games in the end. Xbox has some good ones of course, and potentially plenty of really good ones coming, but Sony has done nothing in that regard for me to move back to Xbox permanently. Xbox has to prove themselves over the next few years, and if they deliver on the massive potential of these acquisitions, then I'll happily reconsider making my Series X my primary console again.
As for internet, we have cable internet, but the builder of the houses in the area really went cheap with some things, including the wiring in the house. I can't have cable internet, and no matter how much I'd love to have it, it's not worth likely spending thousands of dollars to re-wire the house. I'm stuck with "10 Mbps", so it would have taken me roughly 20-25 hours to download Forza Horizon 5 when it took you 27 minutes. I can download roughly 4-4.5 GB per hour.
@d0x3601 I appreciate the amount of effort you put into your response, but in the end, I will likely continue to gravitate towards PS5 versions of games because it's so much quicker to install them (especially if it's a physical copy). I know it doesn't matter as much for some, but I have DSL internet and I can still have a game installed in an hour at most on the PS5 since a lot of games are either mostly or completely on the disc other than a patch. It's a joke that games like Far Cry 6 or even Gears Tactics basically have nothing on the disc, and obviously the fact that some 1st party titles are gigantic for little reason.
And this is why I'll wait until I'll actually be ready to play the game sometime next year. There's already too many really large games on Xbox in comparison to PS5 due to lack of good compression and physical copies sometimes being useless in comparison. Updates tend to my huge because of that too, so waiting instead of probably downloading 200 GB worth of the game and updates over time makes more sense. Hard drive space is finally becoming a bit of an issue because of that, and I've already had to download an insane amount recently because of bloated file sizes (Halo 5, Master Chief Collection, now onto Quantum Break's insane 159 GB for the forum's Game Club).
Not trying to start an argument. Just stating a fact about how much bigger some games and updates are on Xbox because of them not implementing really good compression into the Series X's SSD. Also, I was way late to the Forza Horizon 4 party, so I still have some stuff I want to do in it before I'd even consider playing 5. I'm sure it will be great though.
@themightyant I'm assuming the Creation Club content is actually a fairly significant amount of content? I haven't been following this much up until recently as I wasn't planning on bothering with another version of Skyrim, but now I'm considering it since I kind of half-assed my first playthrough on Xbox One by not doing anywhere near all of the side quests.
Anyways, if the Creation Club content is substantial, then I would think around $20 would be reasonable enough.
@themightyant I didn't know that about Minecraft Dungeons, but still, DLC should be separate. I consider it a nice bonus when a game actually includes it, like Gears 5.
If something is intentionally being held back so they can still charge money for a game on Game Pass, then that will be a problem. Other than maybe your Minecraft Dungeons example, I've yet to see it though, which is why I said I wouldn't be too worried about it yet.
The content for Skyrim seems like a substantial amount of extra content that was never in the original game, so I have less of a problem with that. Again, if what you are saying actually becomes an issue in the future, then I will be right there with you about it being a problem. I will also likely end up only using my Series X for a handful of exclusives and go back to using my PS5 as my primary console too, but that's another story.
@themightyant I get what you're saying, which is basically you're afraid you might have to pay for part of a game eventually on Game Pass. The thing is, like others have said, it's the Deluxe Edition content for Forza Horizon 5 that you're paying for. You might as well consider the extra content for Skyrim that as well.
In the end, I wouldn't get concerned yet since both cases are "Deluxe Edition" content that you would have had to pay extra for even if Game Pass didn't exist.
To start getting ready for Halo Infinite, I'm finally playing Halo Wars 2 several years later than I should have been. Better late than never I guess, as I'm enjoying it so far.
It's about time they finally put effort into compressing their games. Well, technically it's way passed the time, but that's beside the point I guess.
Those PlayStation numbers are a little odd though given that they are higher, which shouldn't be, especially on PS5. Games are basically never bigger on PS5 because of their hard drive and compression.
Of course, unless the campaign is really good, I could care less about the game. The campaign is the only reason I bothered with Cold War.
@Stnkygrngo Quick Resume is still a mess, which is disappointing as this is probably the Series X biggest feature over the competition and one they rightfully made a big deal about last year.
New games don't seem to have it, at least not all the time. I can't test to see if any ever have gotten it right out of the gate as I have yet to play a game on the Series X on release day. Even if the system shows that the game is Quick Resume compatible, it might turn out to be a lie. Out of my last two games I've played on there, Quick Resume actually worked with Scarlet Nexus on over 10 attempts and only failed to actually load right back into the game once, while it has never worked with The Medium even though the UI says it should.
Honestly, putting the PS5 in Sleep Mode and hoping there isn't an update that ends up closing your game has proved to be far more reliable for me so far. To get back on topic though, it is indeed good to see them fixing issues with other things.
@Chaudy Yeah, that's still the big drawback to all this streaming stuff, even xCloud obviously. This won't be able to be appreciated by the masses for quite some time.
Still, it's nice that this will be an option for some people soon. People could probably stream more basic PC titles, but yeah, the bigger titles and PS titles aren't going to work for people like you and me. It's a big reason why I'm not a PS Now subscriber either.
Of course. Live? No since I have to work, but I'm obviously watching at least some of it to finally see gameplay. I might not watch it all as I don't want to see too much of the story, but still.
Yeah, this should definitely have a 4K/60 mode. I know Forza Horizon 4 didn't really as it was definitely not 4K, but going from 60 FPS in that back to 30 FPS here might be jarring. I'll give it a shot since the leap in graphical quality is one of the biggest selling points for the game and hope that the rock solid 30 FPS is enough.
I know we're still really early in the life of the Series X and that this game is cross-gen, but while it is nice that we have a choice, it would have been nice not to have to compromise. I'll still play it obviously whenever that happens (definitely not at launch as I have other games to play for a while).
@Thelastjedi2007 Well, maybe he still stole the guy's gun before he picked him up.
While actual campaign footage is what they should be sharing instead at this point, at least a couple of those pictures look like they are in-game shots (especially the one with the ship and the warthog).
The Medium. Having a solid time with it so far, but I also do see why it wasn't rated as highly as some of us had hoped it would be. A bit too "scripted" sometimes with things only appearing after you do something, along with basic actions only after you do something else before then, but I'm still enjoying it.
It does make me wish I had headphones for more immersion, but oh well. I can still tell that audio is the game's biggest strength.
@BlueOcean Honestly, it has to be because of Sony and their technology because a lot of games are smaller and patches that get released are sometimes significantly smaller on the PS5. I was referring to actual patches, like for Assassin's Creed Valhalla (frequently under 10 GB on PS5 and well over 20 on Series X), not new game versions.
So, it seems there was just a misunderstanding there.
@Dezzy70 It's Rockstar, so it will likely just be randomly scheduled to disappear after only a handful of months, only to randomly reappear on the service months later like GTAV and RDR2.
Edit: Didn't realize it was only one of the games in the trilogy at the time. I'll likely skip this since I'll likely have to buy the whole trilogy at some point to play the other two anyways.
@John117 The dashboard, aside from the dynamic theme, is exactly the same as the Xbox One's. That's why I said for many years, because it has plagued the Xbox's dashboard ever since the Xbox One.
@Scenes It's on from the start on the PS5 since Sony has HDR along with 4K on their dashboard. If they can do it, there's definitely no reason an actual software company who has been making OS's for decades can't implement it too.
It's not like I'm going to stop using my Series X because of it. It's just that there's little excuse as to why it wasn't included in the 4K dashboard, instead continuing to have a black screen every time we go from a game to an app while playing a game and vise versa, closing a game, etc.
@everynowandben Since you have to download most of a lot of games on an Xbox for some unknown reason, people wanting to keep games in "storage" rather than delete and then re-download when you want to play it again isn't ridiculous. It's definitely a must for me given that I have to have DSL internet.
Also, since Microsoft is incredibly lazy with their compression in comparison to Sony and the PS5, some games are larger than they really need to be. Then updates sometimes being 3 or 4 times the size of
Before anybody jumps on me for the Sony/Xbox compression comparisons, I'm just stating a fact and not looking to start an argument. Say what you will about Sony, but the Kraken compression for the PS5 is a borderline marvel, with some updates being well over two times smaller on there. That's really nice. In other words, if their compression was better and games were smaller, you could get by with a smaller amount of storage.
Not saying they shouldn't release this stuff, as it'll probably be pretty good for those interested in it, but I would love to not have to download the update for added things I don't want. It was already a huge download for the Series X version of Doom Eternal. Since the compression for Xbox games is pretty awful in comparison to the PS5 (just stating a fact and not trying to start anything), it'll likely be a big enough update given that it's adding a new mode.
Honestly though, while a full 4K dashboard is definitely welcomed, this doesn't solve the more meaningful issue that has plagued the dashboard for many years.... HDR. It still doesn't include HDR like the PS5 one does, so you still get the momentary black screen every time HDR switches on and off. Not sure how that would have been so difficult to include, especially when Auto HDR for a lot of backwards compatible games is a system feature.
@NEStalgia True, as one of my favorite games of the last generation is a near perfect example of that. Only near since all but a handful of them are actually playable. That would be Final Fantasy 7 Remake, where the cast of characters are very memorable, even more so than the main character Cloud.
Obsidian will be the most likely to delivery on that front for Xbox considering they already have experience there. It's just that The Outer Worlds was waaaaay less popular, but they could deliver at some point in the future with a cast of characters that ends up being quite memorable. The Outer Worlds had some memorable characters, but not quite on that level.
Still, Microsoft should not ignore having a mascot or two that's not from their original group. Given how well received Psychonauts 2 has been, not embracing the Raz character and making even more games in the series would be a huge mistake. We'll see how it goes, but they do need to make longer running series that aren't Halo, Gears, and Forza.
@NEStalgia A lot of what you said makes perfect sense and I really can't disagree, although it would be nice if they could have one or two series in that kind of a game.
No, they shouldn't abandon what they have managed to potentially build up, which like you said, is the new home for big WRPGS. Those can provide a similar experience in terms of a big world, great storytelling, and great characters. Still, it wouldn't exactly be a bad thing if they dabbled there a bit as that only expands on the already expanding variety of their catalog, which will finally have some volume in areas other than racing games and shooters.
At the very least, they need to put more effort into creating games with great characters that you genuinely miss once the credits start rolling. I know that is kind of what he is saying, but that and the storytelling are why Sony's games are considered so good, and that's something they need to have too regardless of genre. That's why I still love playing Sony's games, but Microsoft finally doing that too would be amazing. If they can do that in other kinds of games, even better as Sony's bread and butter is 3rd person action/adventure. Like I said, it seems to be coming. Hopefully they actually deliver and the future ends up being as bright as it seems like it could be.
The thing is, it's still been a solid year for Xbox and Game Pass. Not criticizing the person who wrote this article, but all of the data and such makes it seem like this was a disappointing year. I don't see how that's possible given that they still have managed to expand to what is now a pretty large subscription base, and the future is immensely bright.
This is being considered a down year I suppose, but it still grew, and it should only continue to do just that with the slate of games coming out over the next 1-3 years. Just imagine if Halo Infinite turns out to be better than some people probably think (as a total package, as we already know the multiplayer is good).
I will definitely try to remember to download and play this at some point. I have several other games to play right now, including Knights and Bikes before it leaves, but I have at least a year since that's how long most games not from Rockstar last on Game Pass.
I'm all good with that. It would have been cool to get The Witcher 3's new gen by the time the second season dropped on Netflix, but all in all I have plenty to play, so just get them right and everything will be all good.
Happy to see The Forgotten City on the list. It's something I've passed on, but will likely be one of those I end up thanking Microsoft for adding to Game Pass like some other games (most recently Scarlet Nexus).
American Nightmare being on there seems odd at first until you realize it's a standalone release from Alan Wake like @Trmn8r pointed out. I've never played Alan Wake, so I didn't really know that until now that it wasn't included in the remastered release. Still a bit odd for the main game to not be there while DLC is, but oh well.
Cool, as I already beat the game once on PS4, but started and then stopped playing it a second time on my One X once I saw this was getting a Series X version.
It wouldn't surprise me if this was released sometime around the release of the 2nd season on Netflix.
Luckily I claimed Celeste when it was a Games with Gold game a few years ago. Otherwise I'd have to make sure to fit it in before the end of the month. Granted it would be my own fault since I've put off playing a great game all this time.
Still, it's always a little weird seeing a game that's been on Game Pass for a very long time leave. Might have to try to squeeze in Knights and Bikes though.
Until they "fix" the single player portion of the game so it's on the same level as the multiplayer, I have no interest in even downloading it. Obviously I didn't vote either since all I played was the beta.
Finishing up Scarlet Nexus, which should be at some point today. Then onto The Medium since I've kept putting it off since it came out, and I want to play at least one horror game this month.
Like others have said, given that it's still likely a ways off, this is not a surprise at all. I doubt anybody will be making anything for last gen systems by then.
@themightyant It'd be kind of fine if it was an early trailer or something, but that is definitely pretty bad when it's a launch trailer. Even worse when it's a game that came out a year ago already on PC. It's not my kind of game anyways (rougelike), but it got decent reviews on the PC a year ago.
Somewhat interested in The Riftbreaker though. No reviews to go by yet for that, but if it turns out to be solid, I'll likely give it a shot at some point. My gaming schedule is pretty full for the foreseeable future.
This is my most anticipated Xbox game (with Avowed likely second), so of course I'd like to see it at TGA.
No matter what you thought of the first game, this is probably the game that has the best chance to go tow to tow with Sony's AAA exclusives. Also, regardless of how you feel about that, they do need at least some of these upcoming games to be on their level. I'd love to see it all happen as well.
Nice. I had been waiting to play the game until the Series X version was released, so now I can put it on my list to play in the near future.
Hopefully it's a solid enough version of the game. I'm not expecting it to look like a brand new game like Doom Eternal, but at least solid will be nice. Hopefully it's a solid 60 FPS too.
This was already one of my most anticipated Xbox titles, so this doesn't do a whole lot for me, but it is nice to see that it seems to be coming along well. Hopefully this turns out to be a really good AAA game that Microsoft needs it to be, not that I have very much doubt with an Obsidian game.
Neither. Maybe I'd give Back 4 Blood a second chance if they ever fix the solo campaign, but I was underwhelmed with the demo as it's clearly not Left 4 Dead 3 like it was being billed. The characters and gameplay just weren't up to the level of that series.
Like others, I'll have to wait and see how good the remasters are now if that ends up being the price. Definitely not going to pay that no matter how good the games are if the remasters are half-assed, but I'll consider it if they did a good job given that these are 3 classics. Honestly though, I may end up waiting for this to drop in price anyways depending on when it releases.
Even Sony fans would have to be happy they got bought by Microsoft after this. Even if you don't get to play their games anymore, it would have been horrible if they got bought and then dismantled.
So, obviously I'm happy they got bought by Microsoft, especially since I also have a Series X. Avowed is also one of my most anticipated Series X releases (even more so than The Outer Worlds 2).
@Dezzy70 Since we've yet to see official gameplay from Redfall from either Arkane or Microsoft (I forget who leaked the bit of gameplay we've actually seen), I doubt we're getting that close to early next year. Summer 2022 is my guess.
You're not wrong that they need something for the first quarter of the year though. Maybe not the week Horizon Forbidden West comes out as that would likely crush whatever they would release, but something around there at least to keep some eyes on Xbox at least.
We know the future is bright with the Obsidian, Ninja Theory, and Bethesda acquisitions. Hopefully we begin to see the benefits of those starting at some point next year. 2022 is going to be a great year for PS5 (barring delays), so hopefully it's at least solid for Xbox too giving us a chance to at least experience a glimpse of the very bright future.
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Re: Xbox Adds 76 Games To Backwards Compatibility Including TimeSplitters, Max Payne & Star Wars
I'm actually happier about the list of FPS boost games than the new and final list of backwards compatibility titles. Obviously I'm glad that some people are happy about them, but there wasn't much on the list that screams "PLAY ME!". Too many games left in my backlog and then future releases to play old games I never would have played otherwise besides maybe the Max Payne games and the F.E.A.R. games.
Kind of a shame this will be it forever, as I still have a disc or two that I can never play again that I would have liked to see added.
Re: Xbox Is 20 Years Old Today! What Are Your Favourite Xbox Memories?
My first Xbox console was the original Xbox after Halo 2 came out. Between that and the original Gears of War, I had many hours of unforgettable gaming experiences between all of the online time and some Halo 2 LAN parties.
It's too early to comment much on this generation or to be able to say it would be my favorite, so I'd probably have to go with the Xbox 360 one. Even though it ended up being the beginning of the end of them having a deep group of really good exclusives and such, there were plenty of good carry overs from the previous generation and then obviously Gears of War. That was also the generation I switched back to PlayStation with the PS3 after getting tired of/burnt out on online gaming, but still, it was a special generation regardless.
I'd still probably consider myself a PlayStation guy first, but I do own a Series X as well and Xbox is in a position they haven't been in since transitioning from the Xbox to the 360. The future is very bright for the first time in a while, and things could be very interesting at this time in a few years. Who knows, maybe then I'll be saying I'm an Xbox guy again. I truly do hope they deliver on the promises and potential.
Re: Xbox 20th Anniversary: Which Xbox Generation Has Been The Best?
Hard to vote when you can't really vote for this generation yet. Not criticizing the idea since we're about to have the anniversary show, but this generation is too new. Between it just passing a year old and the virus delaying/messing with things, nobody can vote for this generation yet with a straight face.
With that said, if I had to vote, it would be for the 360. RROD or not, it was still by far the best overall generation for Xbox. Until near the end of it when it was clear they didn't care about having enough good exclusives after relying too much on Gears, Halo, and Forza. Even with that, I would still put it ahead of the original Xbox as the majority of it was still great.
Re: Xbox Is 'Definitely' Working On A New Version Of 1 Vs. 100, Says Report
That'd be awesome... as long as they continue to support it unlike last time since it's basically like it's a live game show with scheduled times to play it. Yes, you could play it "off the air", but it's the live scheduled events that you could try to get into that made it special for the short time it lasted.
Re: Rumour: Xbox Fans Will 'Definitely' Want To Watch The 20th Anniversary Show
I'll watch at least some of it probably... eventually since it's in the middle of the day.
Re: Talking Point: What's Your Most Anticipated 2022 Video Game Release?
Horizon Forbidden West for me. It was mine for this year before the delay. Starfield would likely be second, although I have my doubts it will actually meet it's release date, at least in playable form. I'll be pleasantly surprised if it comes out and in good shape.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (November 6-7)
Halo Wars 2 apparently. I had been playing that, but stopped about a week ago because of was stuck on the Hold the Line mission. Played Kena on my PS5 earlier, but had a bit of extra time and didn't want to load that back up for only a half an hour, so I gave the mission another chance and finally beat it.
Re: Guardians Of The Galaxy Is Getting An Xbox Patch To Address Multiple Issues
@InterceptorAlpha I don't think that will be an issue if the game is successful like it should be. Avengers was kind of a mess from the start, so that's why they got thrown under the bus even though most of the problems weren't their fault.
Re: PlayStation Exec Congratulates Xbox On Forza Horizon 5 Launch
@NEStalgia Maybe he's cool with it. It gives him more time to game and get paid for it.
Re: Forza Horizon 5's First Update Is Now Live, 20GB For Xbox Series X|S
@d0x3601 I never thought to look for that. I have no idea where it comes into the houses, but obviously it has to be somewhere. Thanks for the advice there.
If I want to be technical, it isn't completely different. I had also owned every PlayStation back to the original, so I technically switched from PlayStation to Xbox at first once I bought the original Xbox after Halo 2 came out. I didn't game as often as I started to after experiencing Halo 2 though. Obviously I didn't switch back to PlayStation until Metal Gear Solid 4 game out and was bundled with the PS3. I got one probably a few months after that came out. Also obvious is that my experience with their 1st party titles on the PS3 was significantly more positive for me to basically completely switch over after buying a PS3, with Uncharted possibly being my favorite series of all time (at least close to it) and MGS4 being one of my best gaming experiences I've ever had.
Switching basically killed my desire to play multiplayer games online anymore, which I suppose was expected given that while you could play the same multi-platform games online on PSN, the whole reason for being on the platform is for the single player games.
I'm glad to own both new gen consoles even though I probably could have waited for a Series X until sometime next year since the only true Series X game I've played on it so far is The Medium. They are cross gen, but still, I don't plan on playing either Forza Horizon 5 or Halo Infinite until sometime next year. It's not a huge deal though since I would have gotten one eventually to play all of the RPGs and such that are coming.
Sony is obviously far from perfect as a company, acting more like the beginning of the PS3 generation, but I'm more concerned about the hardware and the games. That's where PlayStation has delivered, minus a bit of power that the Series X has over the PS5. I really like the haptic feedback, but I also turn off the adaptive triggers sometimes. It depends on the game, as a handful actually use them well (A Plague Tale: Innocence), while some use it sparingly enough that I don't worry about it (Miles Morales, Kena, etc.). I could care less about it with FPS games though, as it just makes it harder to play and not more realistic to me.
For me, it boils down to that I don't game online at all anymore, so I go with the platform that gives me the best single player experiences overall imo. Regardless, if Xbox delivers on the potential of all these acquisitions, then things could be very different even for me in a couple of years.
Re: Forza Horizon 5's First Update Is Now Live, 20GB For Xbox Series X|S
@d0x3601 No, installation/file sizes isn't the main reason why I'd go back to the PS5 as my main console. PlayStation has been my main platform for over a decade when I got the PS3 late in that console generation, switching from an Xbox One, and never really looked back. I always end up getting an Xbox too.
I have fond memories of my time with the Xbox and Xbox 360 as well. There's also things they do better than Sony, like obviously Game Pass and backwards compatibility. I'm happy to have a Series X as well as I think it's a really good system. Other than the SSD, I think it's actually a better system. At least build wise since it's a simple, but very effective way to combat the heat and keeping noise to a minimum. I also play Assassin's Creed games on Xbox since my brother plays them too and I like to compare achievements with him.
It comes down to games in the end. Xbox has some good ones of course, and potentially plenty of really good ones coming, but Sony has done nothing in that regard for me to move back to Xbox permanently. Xbox has to prove themselves over the next few years, and if they deliver on the massive potential of these acquisitions, then I'll happily reconsider making my Series X my primary console again.
As for internet, we have cable internet, but the builder of the houses in the area really went cheap with some things, including the wiring in the house. I can't have cable internet, and no matter how much I'd love to have it, it's not worth likely spending thousands of dollars to re-wire the house. I'm stuck with "10 Mbps", so it would have taken me roughly 20-25 hours to download Forza Horizon 5 when it took you 27 minutes. I can download roughly 4-4.5 GB per hour.
Re: Forza Horizon 5's First Update Is Now Live, 20GB For Xbox Series X|S
@d0x3601 I appreciate the amount of effort you put into your response, but in the end, I will likely continue to gravitate towards PS5 versions of games because it's so much quicker to install them (especially if it's a physical copy). I know it doesn't matter as much for some, but I have DSL internet and I can still have a game installed in an hour at most on the PS5 since a lot of games are either mostly or completely on the disc other than a patch. It's a joke that games like Far Cry 6 or even Gears Tactics basically have nothing on the disc, and obviously the fact that some 1st party titles are gigantic for little reason.
Re: Forza Horizon 5's First Update Is Now Live, 20GB For Xbox Series X|S
And this is why I'll wait until I'll actually be ready to play the game sometime next year. There's already too many really large games on Xbox in comparison to PS5 due to lack of good compression and physical copies sometimes being useless in comparison. Updates tend to my huge because of that too, so waiting instead of probably downloading 200 GB worth of the game and updates over time makes more sense. Hard drive space is finally becoming a bit of an issue because of that, and I've already had to download an insane amount recently because of bloated file sizes (Halo 5, Master Chief Collection, now onto Quantum Break's insane 159 GB for the forum's Game Club).
Not trying to start an argument. Just stating a fact about how much bigger some games and updates are on Xbox because of them not implementing really good compression into the Series X's SSD. Also, I was way late to the Forza Horizon 4 party, so I still have some stuff I want to do in it before I'd even consider playing 5. I'm sure it will be great though.
Re: Bethesda Details Everything Coming To Skyrim Anniversary Edition
@themightyant I'm assuming the Creation Club content is actually a fairly significant amount of content? I haven't been following this much up until recently as I wasn't planning on bothering with another version of Skyrim, but now I'm considering it since I kind of half-assed my first playthrough on Xbox One by not doing anywhere near all of the side quests.
Anyways, if the Creation Club content is substantial, then I would think around $20 would be reasonable enough.
Re: Bethesda Details Everything Coming To Skyrim Anniversary Edition
@themightyant I didn't know that about Minecraft Dungeons, but still, DLC should be separate. I consider it a nice bonus when a game actually includes it, like Gears 5.
If something is intentionally being held back so they can still charge money for a game on Game Pass, then that will be a problem. Other than maybe your Minecraft Dungeons example, I've yet to see it though, which is why I said I wouldn't be too worried about it yet.
The content for Skyrim seems like a substantial amount of extra content that was never in the original game, so I have less of a problem with that. Again, if what you are saying actually becomes an issue in the future, then I will be right there with you about it being a problem. I will also likely end up only using my Series X for a handful of exclusives and go back to using my PS5 as my primary console too, but that's another story.
Re: Bethesda Details Everything Coming To Skyrim Anniversary Edition
@themightyant I get what you're saying, which is basically you're afraid you might have to pay for part of a game eventually on Game Pass. The thing is, like others have said, it's the Deluxe Edition content for Forza Horizon 5 that you're paying for. You might as well consider the extra content for Skyrim that as well.
In the end, I wouldn't get concerned yet since both cases are "Deluxe Edition" content that you would have had to pay extra for even if Game Pass didn't exist.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (October 30-31)
To start getting ready for Halo Infinite, I'm finally playing Halo Wars 2 several years later than I should have been. Better late than never I guess, as I'm enjoying it so far.
Re: Call Of Duty: Vanguard's Install Size Is Surprisingly Small On Xbox
It's about time they finally put effort into compressing their games. Well, technically it's way passed the time, but that's beside the point I guess.
Those PlayStation numbers are a little odd though given that they are higher, which shouldn't be, especially on PS5. Games are basically never bigger on PS5 because of their hard drive and compression.
Of course, unless the campaign is really good, I could care less about the game. The campaign is the only reason I bothered with Cold War.
Re: Xbox Series X Update Fixes 'Console Shutdown' Issues With Certain Games
@Stnkygrngo Quick Resume is still a mess, which is disappointing as this is probably the Series X biggest feature over the competition and one they rightfully made a big deal about last year.
New games don't seem to have it, at least not all the time. I can't test to see if any ever have gotten it right out of the gate as I have yet to play a game on the Series X on release day. Even if the system shows that the game is Quick Resume compatible, it might turn out to be a lie. Out of my last two games I've played on there, Quick Resume actually worked with Scarlet Nexus on over 10 attempts and only failed to actually load right back into the game once, while it has never worked with The Medium even though the UI says it should.
Honestly, putting the PS5 in Sleep Mode and hoping there isn't an update that ends up closing your game has proved to be far more reliable for me so far. To get back on topic though, it is indeed good to see them fixing issues with other things.
Re: You Should Soon Be Able To Play PC Games On Xbox With GeForce Now
@Chaudy Yeah, that's still the big drawback to all this streaming stuff, even xCloud obviously. This won't be able to be appreciated by the masses for quite some time.
Still, it's nice that this will be an option for some people soon. People could probably stream more basic PC titles, but yeah, the bigger titles and PS titles aren't going to work for people like you and me. It's a big reason why I'm not a PS Now subscriber either.
Re: 343 Announces Halo Infinite 'Campaign Overview' Broadcast, Airing Later Today
Of course. Live? No since I have to work, but I'm obviously watching at least some of it to finally see gameplay. I might not watch it all as I don't want to see too much of the story, but still.
Re: Forza Horizon 5 Is A 'Phenomenal Experience' On Xbox Series X, Says Digital Foundry
Yeah, this should definitely have a 4K/60 mode. I know Forza Horizon 4 didn't really as it was definitely not 4K, but going from 60 FPS in that back to 30 FPS here might be jarring. I'll give it a shot since the leap in graphical quality is one of the biggest selling points for the game and hope that the rock solid 30 FPS is enough.
I know we're still really early in the life of the Series X and that this game is cross-gen, but while it is nice that we have a choice, it would have been nice not to have to compromise. I'll still play it obviously whenever that happens (definitely not at launch as I have other games to play for a while).
Re: 343 Shares Stunning New Artwork Of Master Chief In Halo Infinite
@Thelastjedi2007 Well, maybe he still stole the guy's gun before he picked him up.
While actual campaign footage is what they should be sharing instead at this point, at least a couple of those pictures look like they are in-game shots (especially the one with the ship and the warthog).
Re: Phil Spencer Showers Praise On New Game Pass Title Echo Generation
He nailed it with Lost Words: Beyond the Page and Kaze and the Wild Masks, so it wouldn't be a surprise if his praise was well deserving again here.
It's on my list to play at some point. Before this time next year for sure since some games leave Game Pass within a year.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (October 23-24)
The Medium. Having a solid time with it so far, but I also do see why it wasn't rated as highly as some of us had hoped it would be. A bit too "scripted" sometimes with things only appearing after you do something, along with basic actions only after you do something else before then, but I'm still enjoying it.
It does make me wish I had headphones for more immersion, but oh well. I can still tell that audio is the game's biggest strength.
Re: Xbox Reveals New 512GB & 2TB Seagate Expansion Cards For Xbox Series X|S
@BlueOcean Honestly, it has to be because of Sony and their technology because a lot of games are smaller and patches that get released are sometimes significantly smaller on the PS5. I was referring to actual patches, like for Assassin's Creed Valhalla (frequently under 10 GB on PS5 and well over 20 on Series X), not new game versions.
So, it seems there was just a misunderstanding there.
Re: Woah, GTA: San Andreas - The Definitive Edition Is Coming To Game Pass
@Dezzy70 It's Rockstar, so it will likely just be randomly scheduled to disappear after only a handful of months, only to randomly reappear on the service months later like GTAV and RDR2.
Edit: Didn't realize it was only one of the games in the trilogy at the time. I'll likely skip this since I'll likely have to buy the whole trilogy at some point to play the other two anyways.
Re: Here's What's Included In The Xbox October 2021 Update
@John117 The dashboard, aside from the dynamic theme, is exactly the same as the Xbox One's. That's why I said for many years, because it has plagued the Xbox's dashboard ever since the Xbox One.
@Scenes It's on from the start on the PS5 since Sony has HDR along with 4K on their dashboard. If they can do it, there's definitely no reason an actual software company who has been making OS's for decades can't implement it too.
It's not like I'm going to stop using my Series X because of it. It's just that there's little excuse as to why it wasn't included in the 4K dashboard, instead continuing to have a black screen every time we go from a game to an app while playing a game and vise versa, closing a game, etc.
Re: Xbox Reveals New 512GB & 2TB Seagate Expansion Cards For Xbox Series X|S
@everynowandben Since you have to download most of a lot of games on an Xbox for some unknown reason, people wanting to keep games in "storage" rather than delete and then re-download when you want to play it again isn't ridiculous. It's definitely a must for me given that I have to have DSL internet.
Also, since Microsoft is incredibly lazy with their compression in comparison to Sony and the PS5, some games are larger than they really need to be. Then updates sometimes being 3 or 4 times the size of
Before anybody jumps on me for the Sony/Xbox compression comparisons, I'm just stating a fact and not looking to start an argument. Say what you will about Sony, but the Kraken compression for the PS5 is a borderline marvel, with some updates being well over two times smaller on there. That's really nice. In other words, if their compression was better and games were smaller, you could get by with a smaller amount of storage.
Re: Horde Mode Is Kicking Its Way To DOOM Eternal Next Week
Not saying they shouldn't release this stuff, as it'll probably be pretty good for those interested in it, but I would love to not have to download the update for added things I don't want. It was already a huge download for the Series X version of Doom Eternal. Since the compression for Xbox games is pretty awful in comparison to the PS5 (just stating a fact and not trying to start anything), it'll likely be a big enough update given that it's adding a new mode.
Re: Here's What's Included In The Xbox October 2021 Update
Honestly though, while a full 4K dashboard is definitely welcomed, this doesn't solve the more meaningful issue that has plagued the dashboard for many years.... HDR. It still doesn't include HDR like the PS5 one does, so you still get the momentary black screen every time HDR switches on and off. Not sure how that would have been so difficult to include, especially when Auto HDR for a lot of backwards compatible games is a system feature.
Re: Xbox Exec Admits PlayStation Has Been 'Out In Front' With 'A Certain Kind Of Game'
@NEStalgia True, as one of my favorite games of the last generation is a near perfect example of that. Only near since all but a handful of them are actually playable. That would be Final Fantasy 7 Remake, where the cast of characters are very memorable, even more so than the main character Cloud.
Obsidian will be the most likely to delivery on that front for Xbox considering they already have experience there. It's just that The Outer Worlds was waaaaay less popular, but they could deliver at some point in the future with a cast of characters that ends up being quite memorable. The Outer Worlds had some memorable characters, but not quite on that level.
Still, Microsoft should not ignore having a mascot or two that's not from their original group. Given how well received Psychonauts 2 has been, not embracing the Raz character and making even more games in the series would be a huge mistake. We'll see how it goes, but they do need to make longer running series that aren't Halo, Gears, and Forza.
Re: Xbox Exec Admits PlayStation Has Been 'Out In Front' With 'A Certain Kind Of Game'
@NEStalgia A lot of what you said makes perfect sense and I really can't disagree, although it would be nice if they could have one or two series in that kind of a game.
No, they shouldn't abandon what they have managed to potentially build up, which like you said, is the new home for big WRPGS. Those can provide a similar experience in terms of a big world, great storytelling, and great characters. Still, it wouldn't exactly be a bad thing if they dabbled there a bit as that only expands on the already expanding variety of their catalog, which will finally have some volume in areas other than racing games and shooters.
At the very least, they need to put more effort into creating games with great characters that you genuinely miss once the credits start rolling. I know that is kind of what he is saying, but that and the storytelling are why Sony's games are considered so good, and that's something they need to have too regardless of genre. That's why I still love playing Sony's games, but Microsoft finally doing that too would be amazing. If they can do that in other kinds of games, even better as Sony's bread and butter is 3rd person action/adventure. Like I said, it seems to be coming. Hopefully they actually deliver and the future ends up being as bright as it seems like it could be.
Re: Xbox Game Pass Continues Impressive Growth, But Misses Yearly Target
The thing is, it's still been a solid year for Xbox and Game Pass. Not criticizing the person who wrote this article, but all of the data and such makes it seem like this was a disappointing year. I don't see how that's possible given that they still have managed to expand to what is now a pretty large subscription base, and the future is immensely bright.
This is being considered a down year I suppose, but it still grew, and it should only continue to do just that with the slate of games coming out over the next 1-3 years. Just imagine if Halo Infinite turns out to be better than some people probably think (as a total package, as we already know the multiplayer is good).
Re: Review: Echo Generation - Stranger Things Style RPG Knocks It Out The Park
I will definitely try to remember to download and play this at some point. I have several other games to play right now, including Knights and Bikes before it leaves, but I have at least a year since that's how long most games not from Rockstar last on Game Pass.
Re: Cyberpunk 2077 & The Witcher 3's Next-Gen Versions Have Been Delayed To 2022
I'm all good with that. It would have been cool to get The Witcher 3's new gen by the time the second season dropped on Netflix, but all in all I have plenty to play, so just get them right and everything will be all good.
Re: These Nine Games Are Coming To Xbox Game Pass (October 21 - October 28)
Happy to see The Forgotten City on the list. It's something I've passed on, but will likely be one of those I end up thanking Microsoft for adding to Game Pass like some other games (most recently Scarlet Nexus).
American Nightmare being on there seems odd at first until you realize it's a standalone release from Alan Wake like @Trmn8r pointed out. I've never played Alan Wake, so I didn't really know that until now that it wasn't included in the remastered release. Still a bit odd for the main game to not be there while DLC is, but oh well.
Re: The Witcher 3 Has Been Rated In Europe For Xbox Series X, Series S
Cool, as I already beat the game once on PS4, but started and then stopped playing it a second time on my One X once I saw this was getting a Series X version.
It wouldn't surprise me if this was released sometime around the release of the 2nd season on Netflix.
Re: Another Ten Games Will Leave Xbox Game Pass Soon (October 31)
Luckily I claimed Celeste when it was a Games with Gold game a few years ago. Otherwise I'd have to make sure to fit it in before the end of the month. Granted it would be my own fault since I've put off playing a great game all this time.
Still, it's always a little weird seeing a game that's been on Game Pass for a very long time leave. Might have to try to squeeze in Knights and Bikes though.
Re: Talking Point: Are You Enjoying Back 4 Blood On Xbox Game Pass?
Until they "fix" the single player portion of the game so it's on the same level as the multiplayer, I have no interest in even downloading it. Obviously I didn't vote either since all I played was the beta.
Re: Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend? (October 16-17)
Finishing up Scarlet Nexus, which should be at some point today. Then onto The Medium since I've kept putting it off since it came out, and I want to play at least one horror game this month.
Re: Dragon Age 4 Will Reportedly Be A 'Next-Gen Only' Release
Like others have said, given that it's still likely a ways off, this is not a surprise at all. I doubt anybody will be making anything for last gen systems by then.
Re: Two More Games Are Now Available With Xbox Game Pass (October 14)
@themightyant It'd be kind of fine if it was an early trailer or something, but that is definitely pretty bad when it's a launch trailer. Even worse when it's a game that came out a year ago already on PC. It's not my kind of game anyways (rougelike), but it got decent reviews on the PC a year ago.
Somewhat interested in The Riftbreaker though. No reviews to go by yet for that, but if it turns out to be solid, I'll likely give it a shot at some point. My gaming schedule is pretty full for the foreseeable future.
Re: It's Sounding More And More Likely Hellblade 2 Will Be At The Game Awards
This is my most anticipated Xbox game (with Avowed likely second), so of course I'd like to see it at TGA.
No matter what you thought of the first game, this is probably the game that has the best chance to go tow to tow with Sony's AAA exclusives. Also, regardless of how you feel about that, they do need at least some of these upcoming games to be on their level. I'd love to see it all happen as well.
Re: Quake Receives Free Xbox Series X|S Upgrade, Featuring 4K & 120FPS
Nice. I had been waiting to play the game until the Series X version was released, so now I can put it on my list to play in the near future.
Hopefully it's a solid enough version of the game. I'm not expecting it to look like a brand new game like Doom Eternal, but at least solid will be nice. Hopefully it's a solid 60 FPS too.
Re: New Report Reveals Lots Of Details On Xbox Exclusive RPG Avowed
This was already one of my most anticipated Xbox titles, so this doesn't do a whole lot for me, but it is nice to see that it seems to be coming along well. Hopefully this turns out to be a really good AAA game that Microsoft needs it to be, not that I have very much doubt with an Obsidian game.
Re: Two More Games Are Available Today With Xbox Game Pass (October 12)
Neither. Maybe I'd give Back 4 Blood a second chance if they ever fix the solo campaign, but I was underwhelmed with the demo as it's clearly not Left 4 Dead 3 like it was being billed. The characters and gameplay just weren't up to the level of that series.
Re: Brace Yourself, The GTA Trilogy Remaster Could Be Pretty Expensive
Like others, I'll have to wait and see how good the remasters are now if that ends up being the price. Definitely not going to pay that no matter how good the games are if the remasters are half-assed, but I'll consider it if they did a good job given that these are 3 classics. Honestly though, I may end up waiting for this to drop in price anyways depending on when it releases.
Re: Obsidian Was Approached By 'Another Major Publisher' Before The Microsoft Acquisition
Even Sony fans would have to be happy they got bought by Microsoft after this. Even if you don't get to play their games anymore, it would have been horrible if they got bought and then dismantled.
So, obviously I'm happy they got bought by Microsoft, especially since I also have a Series X. Avowed is also one of my most anticipated Series X releases (even more so than The Outer Worlds 2).
Re: Rumour: Xbox Game Studios Has Only Announced 1/3 Of The Games In Its Roadmap
@Dezzy70 Since we've yet to see official gameplay from Redfall from either Arkane or Microsoft (I forget who leaked the bit of gameplay we've actually seen), I doubt we're getting that close to early next year. Summer 2022 is my guess.
You're not wrong that they need something for the first quarter of the year though. Maybe not the week Horizon Forbidden West comes out as that would likely crush whatever they would release, but something around there at least to keep some eyes on Xbox at least.
We know the future is bright with the Obsidian, Ninja Theory, and Bethesda acquisitions. Hopefully we begin to see the benefits of those starting at some point next year. 2022 is going to be a great year for PS5 (barring delays), so hopefully it's at least solid for Xbox too giving us a chance to at least experience a glimpse of the very bright future.